Facebook tests different fonts for News Feed

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants Facebook to be more like a newspaper, and a recent test discovered by Fast Company shows that designers are doing what they can to make this true. Facebook is toying with using serif fonts on link headlines, a small change to the untrained eye, but something very noticeable to font aficionados.

Above, the old lettering is on the left, while the new test is on the right. Facebook confirmed to Fast Company that this is something they’re testing among select users. Additionally, ads appear bigger within News Feed on this test.

This is a small design test we are currently running. We are constantly testing new features across the site and have nothing more to share at this time.

Alicia Antoniolli, Social Account Manager for 3Q Digital, offered her take on this test with Inside Facebook:

When any change is made to allow advertisers to take up more real estate in the News Feed, it’s a good day. The headline will be larger and more readable, which is a win for advertisers. The needle was pushed considerably in September when the news feed underwent many changes. The link posts, showcased in this new update, were allowed much larger images and more ad text allowance, which pushed Facebook advertisers to consider it as a top ad unit. This possible new change is simply a slight move in the same direction.